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| Reports from Iraq by John M. Russell | |
Two objects of the "30 Most Wanted List" recovered
The 812th Military Police Company, working with the Iraqi police, have again reclaimed items on the "30 Most Wanted List" of antiquities stolen from the Iraq Museum. They recovered the Nimrud brazier from three men on November 3, and upon questioning them learned that the Bassetki statue was hidden in a cesspool. Both items were returned to the museum undamaged. A press conference was held yesterday to celebrate the return of these items, in addition to a group of Babylonian stone vessels and a group of 820 objects recovered by the Iraqi Italian Institute of Archaeological Sciences. John Russell has again provided the AIA with descriptions of the objects and their recovery, including pictures taken at the press conference... [read full account (PDF)] 
John M. Russell appointed Deputy Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Culture
On September 20, AIA member John M. Russell (Massachusetts College of Art) will go to Iraq to work with the Coalition Provisional Authority as Deputy Senior Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Culture. His main objective is to connect colleagues and cultural institutions in Iraq with outside funding sources, opportunities, and expertise for projects relating to reconstruction, study abroad, and training. He also hopes to assist with a number of other issues, including efforts to control looting of archaeological sites, monitoring the archaeological impact of construction projects, facilitating infrastructure upgrades in the Iraq Museum and other cultural institutions, and working to recover antiquities stolen from the Museum.
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Restored foot of the Warka vase, still attached to its display pedestal
(© J. Russell)
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A Personal Account from Baghdad
John M. Russell has provided the AIA with an informal report on his visit to Baghdad soon after the end of major combat operations. Dr. Russell was part of the first UNESCO Cultural Heritage Mission to Baghdad, sent May 16-20, 2003 to assess the post-war status of Iraq's cultural heritage. The report combines information from his report to UNESCO, details from his personal diary, and over 30 photos taken while in Iraq... [read full account (PDF)]
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